mexico

hi

i'm going to mexico this summer, what do u recommend to see....my trip will be from mexico city to cancun....and then i'm planning to stay in san luis potosi for almost a month...if anyone is from there we can meet

Re: mexico

Veracruz is nice. I wonder if they still have the Mexico City-Veracruz train. In Veracruz, be sure to order a "torito". Hold the drink with one hand as you hold on to your hat with the other.

Oaxaca has a great market. And get some huevos montele&#241;os for breakfast. I'll never forget having dinner in Oaxaca across from the Z&#243;calo while listening to Strauss waltzes. Well, Puebla has a good market too. Of course, I have been to neither city for years.

In Oaxaca, the ruins are worthwhile but don't let a structure get between you and the view of the guards. I had a nasty experience there years ago that came within an inch of becoming a robbery/rape.

Palenque has great ruins, possibly the best in Mexico.

Merida has great food. Be sure to order a tailor-made guayabera (shirt). You won't find better ones. There's a restaurant in Merida (Los Tulipanes?) that is pretty neat.

Merida is a great base for trips to Chichen-Itz&#225; and Uxmal. If you will ask people, they will teach you some Mayan (Quich&#233 as you wait for buses. After more than 30 years, I still remember from phrases. Telab&#237;n Jo = I am going to Merida. Telab&#237;n pas&#225; = I am going to have fun.

How about Tul&#250;m? Campeche?

In Chilangolandia (Mexico City), spend a Sunday at Chapultepec. The Museum of Anthropology will amaze you. The Latin American Tower is a great place to pick up babes. The Metro system is incredible. The Ballet Folcl&#243;rico is fantastic.

Again, I haven't been in Mexico for years. But here is some advice that won't cost you a dime and may be helpful. Before blindly buying a train ticket, talk to others taking the same trip. Years ago I had a miserable trip from Mexicali to Mazatl&#225;n because I had bought a ticket for a small private room instead of buying a second ticket for the first class car. My room had three lights, one of which worked once in a while and two that never worked. Going through the Sonora Desert without air conditioning is not a memory I cherish. On the train, students told me that experienced travelers also bought a ticket for the first class car. This way they had a room to sleep in at night and an air conditioned car to ride in during the day. My Merida-Villahermosa train ride was quite an adventure too. My first class car had broken seats and no lights in the toilet. Had I known, I would have acquired a flashlight before boarding.

One more bit of advice and then I will shut up. A few years ago I discovered "baby wipes". You can't expect to find toilet paper in your travels, regardless of the country. And "baby wipes" are ten times better than any TP I've ever used. Not a "polite subject" for a post, but a useful one. I always carry a package with me. Always.

Re: mexico

Dear lili

If your budget allows you to rent a car. I recommend you to take a trip to Michoacan, specially around Patzcuaro Lake: there are many little towns and you will enjoy the handycrafts, because almost any town has its own kind of artistic work.

Re: mexico

Julio, Pátzcuaro is my favorite city in Mexico.

Don't be afraid to look for a room around the lake. I was there years ago during a Rocio Durcal concert, and the entire city was booked. Down at the lake, I found a wonderful room in a semi-deserted hotel. I think there was one other guest there. One morning I got a craving for an American-style breakfast and I told the owner/cook I was going to fix breakfast for him. To my surprise, he had the best French toast recipe I'd ever eaten, something he'd picked up from another guest from the US. Oh, and the room was quite inexpensive. I think I could catch a bus into Pátzcuaro (10 minutes?) for about USD$0.10 and a taxi would take me back to the lake at night for around USD$2.00. And Pátzcuaro has the best bread, the best soups... It's also a good base for visiting Santa Clara del Cobre, Quiroga, Zamora, etc. And the lacquerwares. And Indian market day! What a nice city!

Re: mexico

If you are in Michoac&#225;n, you should also go to Morelia. It's a bigger city, but very charming. The historic center is walkable and there is a lot to do. Lots of concerts and restaurants. It's easy to get transportation to Patzcuaro from Morelia.

Guanajuato is another charming small town. Be sure to catch the callejoneada at the z&#243;calo---booze and roaming the streets en masse singing along with the musicians!

Re: mexico

Originally Posted by mariaklec

If you are in Michoacán, you should also go to Morelia. It's a bigger city, but very charming. The historic center is walkable and there is a lot to do. Lots of concerts and restaurants. It's easy to get transportation to Patzcuaro from Morelia.

Guanajuato is another charming small town. Be sure to catch the callejoneada at the zócalo---booze and roaming the streets en masse singing along with the musicians!